The Organizer (Criterion Collection)

In turn-of-the-twentieth-century Turin, an accident in a textile factory incites workers to stage a walkout. But it s not until they receive unexpected aid from a traveling professor (8½'s Marcello Mastroianni) that they find a voice, unite, and stand up for themselves. This historical drama by Mario Monicello (Big Deal on Madonna Street) is a beautiful and moving ode to the power of the people, brimming with humor and honesty. The Organizer (I compagni) features engaging, naturalistic performances; cinematography by the great Giuseppe Rotunno (Amarcord); and a multilayered, Oscar-nominated screenplay, by Monicelli, Agenore Incrocci (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly), and Furio Scarpelli (Il postino).